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Friday, November 9, 2007

Less noisy Diwali

Did anyone get a feeling that this year's Diwali is less noisy? I felt so.

Even those who went for crackers avoided the high-decibel ones. I found many children totally avoiding crackers. I am told many apartment complexes too had decided to boycott the atom bombs and the like.

This is a positive trend, and I hope it catches on and gains momentum in the coming years. Diwali, after all, is a festival of light. But during the past years it had become a festival of noise, not even sound. The worst affected are children, elders, pets and patients.

The sparklers too have their downside. The smoke pollutes the air, and the festival is a horror for asthma patients. I hope in the years ahead we get more disciplined and organised as far as festivals go.

Happy Diwali to all! Let the season usher in happiness, success and prosperity!

7 comments:

May be I am sounding too old, but I think Diwali is becoming synonymous with bursting crackers and nothing else. Its no more 'festival of lights'It is sad to see even grown-ups bursting crackers like children. I just can't find out what fun one can have by making noise and disturbing others.There is a restriction in Chennai on bursting crackers. Crackers can be burst only between 6 am and 10 pm. But people are least bothered about these restrictions.Osho says: 'The fire crackers and the lights cannot make people rejoice. They are only for children. For adults, they are just a nuisance. But in people's Inner World, there can be a continous celebration. A festival of light - the whole year round.'

You are right! You are a bangalorinan, so even you felt it right? Me too, I was thinking along the same lines. Atleast in my locality, the bigger crackers were avoided, but many people burnt the flower-pots and the like. I've been avoiding crakcers since four years. I'm happy I'm making a difference. Last year when I did not know about blogs, I took my time campaining against crackers by pasting a huge poster saying, "Don;t burn crackers!" but obviously, no one listened. But I atleast happy that some people are enviornamentally concerned. Happy Diawali to you too.

i was highly surprised when i heard no bang bang after 10pm. i stay in thane ( mumbai )and feel people have become more aware of global warming and also want to follow rules of not burning crackers after 10.

Police notification appears in the papers ahead of the festival. Bursting crackers have to stop after ten in the night and so on. Yet, there are the mischievous and careless ones that have no regard for time or concern to others. They burst only outside the time alloted, often at 2am! This festival is just a nuisance from every angle. The actual meaning and purpose of it has long been forgotten.

Louder the better! For crackers as well for listening to what they call 'music' in cars and even homes. Orchestras are like Deepavali too. Louder and harsher the better!! They appreciate it and one wonders why. I suffered from this version of the Deepavali last month. [see my blog].

Any procession they take out to the streets these days are not without bursting crackers! It is just ridiculous!

I only wish people at the individual level realize the importance of peace and having concern to the envionment and the neighbourhood.